whenever sauseschritt needs to breathe fresh air with regard to us-politics, he loads down the fresh air podcast, presented by npr (national public radio). this time, in a crowded metro, full of desparate and violent passengers, an interview with brian de palma on his new movie redacted. sauseschritt really gets used to terry gross' voice and giggles. thanks for letting us listen to another america, terry!

here is more about redacted on rottentomatoes followed by an interview with brian de palma. we also got the background for de palma´s fictionalized documentary on bbc news.

there is some hope to overcome the mental gartenzwerg. some thesis presented by ulrich beck via sightandsight:

(...) The nationalist perspective - which equates society with the society of the nation state - blinds us to the world in which we live. In order to perceive the interrelatedness of people and of populations around the globe in the first place, we need a cosmopolitan perspective. The common terminological denominator of our densely populated world is "cosmopolitanisation", which means the erosion of distinct boundaries dividing markets, states, civilizations, cultures, and not least of all the lifeworlds of different peoples. The world has not certainly not become borderless, but the boundaries are becoming blurred and indistinct, becoming permeable to flows of information and capital. Less so, on the other hand, to flows of people: tourists yes, migrants no. Taking place in national and local lifeworlds and institutions is a process of internal globalisation. This alters the conditions for the construction of social identity, which need no longer be impressed by the negative juxtaposition of "us" and "them". (...)

... at least we assume so. why reach out to the world, better stay at home and enjoy more of the same. is it correct that we are not reaching out, but much more like to stay home ? china herald presents some results on "regional" blogging in china, which may be valid also for europe:

(...) If I remember well, the Chinese research also showed that most blogs would link to other blogs in their own region, rather than to websites elsewhere in China.
I have not seen any research on weblogs in the Netherlands, German or Belgium, but I'm quite sure that there is very little overlap between countries and cultures. Even when people do speak the same language, like the Dutch and a part of the Belgians, that does not mean they really talk to each other.
Despite the technological possibilities, people tend to stay within their own comfort zone. That makes those weblogs who don't even more important (...)

definitely, and sauseschritt will put more effort in it. more of it on danwei.

(...) Another Thanksgiving approaches. It's that day when families across America gather to watch parades and competitive sports on television and to overindulge in stuffed turkeys, creamed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and rich pies.

Every schoolchild in America knows the story of the original Thanksgiving. In 1621 in Plymouth, émigré English Calvinists struggled to make their way in the harsh climate of this New World. Wampanoag Indians helped them, teaching them to grow corn. In gratitude the Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to join in their harvest feast. On this secular holiday, with our extended families around us at the Thanksgiving table, we may be moved to give thanks not only for the feast but also for our families, our country, and our many other gifts.

But this modern version of Thanksgiving would horrify the devout Pilgrims and Puritans who sailed to America in the 17th century. (...)